Love's Embrace
by BRITTONY
Summary: This story is set in an alternate universe where Planet Vegeta still exists. There are many kingdoms and Vegeta is the ruler of one of them. Prince Trunks comes across a young servant girl named Pan and falls for her. Read to find out more!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Dragon Ball Z Characters, but I sure wish I did

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Dragon Ball Z Characters, but I sure wish I did!

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe. Planet Vegeta still exists and Vegeta is a King. There are also other kingdoms on the planet.

Ages:

Trunks 18

Pan 17

Bra 16

Goten 18

**Chapter 1**

Trunks squinted his eyes as the sun suddenly invaded his dreams. He held up his arm as he glanced in the direction of the huge floor to ceiling window. One of his many servants turned around with a smile and bowed. "Good morning your highness. The King and Queen have requested your presence at the breakfast table this morning."

Trunks groaned. What had he done now? His parents only wanted to see him when he screwed up. He stood up groggily and the servant began to make his bed as he headed off to the shower.

As the warm water made trails down his body he relaxed into it. "I wonder what they want. I don't think I missed anything. Nothing is supposed to be happening today." His mind continued to wander as he finished his shower.

When he got back to his room his servant was waiting patiently by the bed with his clothes laid out.

He rolled his eyes. "Charles, I told you that you don't have to pick out my clothes. I am perfectly capable of doing it myself."

Charles smiled back at him. "Yes, your highness, but your mother has asked that you look especially nice today."

Trunks looked at him questioningly. "You know what's going on don't you?"

As small chuckle escaped Charles' lips. "It's my job to know what's going on, but what fun would it be if I told you?"

Trunks grinned back. "Alright, alright. Well, you can go now. I can definitely dress myself."

Charles smiled and bowed as he walked out the door.

Trunks stared after him for a moment. He wished Charles would stop calling him your highness and just call him Trunks. He had asked him repeatedly, but he refused. Charles was really more of a friend than a servant. He had been with him since he was little. He could remember many times when he would come in covered in mud after playing and Charles would rush him to his room to change before his parents could find out. He smiled to himself and then went to finish getting ready.

When he arrived at the table his parents were already seated, as well as Bra. "Good morning father, mother." He said as he nodded in their direction.

"Good morning sweetheart." His mother smiled.

"Hmph." His father grunted.

Trunks took his seat next to Bra and looked expectantly at his parents.

They waited for the food to be served before they spoke. As the last servant exited the room Bulma sat up straighter and cleared her throat. "Well, good morning to you both. I hope you slept well. Today we are going to be receiving a visitor and I want you both on your best behavior." She glanced over in Trunks' direction. "That means that you are to remain around the castle. There will be no running off."

Trunks just nodded his head. He hated being confined to the castle. He loved to go flying through the air or exploring the forests. When he was inside he felt trapped.

"Um, exactly who is going to be visiting and when are they arriving?" Bra questioned with a bored tone.

Vegeta glanced up from his food for a moment. "King Phillip and I don't want to hear any complaining!"

Bra and Trunks both exchanged looks of displeasure.

"Now, now. I know he's not the easiest person to get along with, but he is a king. We will show him nothing but courtesy." Bulma chided.

Trunks and Bra nodded their heads reluctantly.

When Trunks got back to his room he plopped down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Why did King Phillip have to come? He was the most arrogant, selfish, and inconsiderate person he had ever met! He was only a few years older than Trunks, but that didn't help them get along any better. They had completely opposite points of view on everything!

A couple of miles away a traveling party could be seen. There was a very ornate carriage pulled by four of the largest white horses you've ever seen. Outside the carriage there were rows of guards and then rows of servants carrying bags and supplies. One girl in particular was carrying an extra large load. She had long dark hair and dark eyes to match. She just looked straight ahead as she tried to keep a hold on all the bags she was carrying. Unable to see exactly what was in front of her over the bags she tripped on a stone and the bags scattered. One of the guards came over and pushed her to the ground. "Pick those up you little urchin!"

The girl pushed herself up and slowly began gathering the bags. She was used to this treatment. This was the way it had been for the last five years. She was no longer a free person, but a slave forced into working for an egotistical king. She grabbed the last of the bags and then quickly caught up with the party.

At mid afternoon a trumpet sounded and Trunks groaned. That sound could only mean one thing. King Phillip had arrived! He walked slowly towards the door. As part of the royal family it was his duty to be there to greet the new arrivals and offer their hospitality.

As the large mahogany doors were opened Trunks saw the overly elaborate carriage and the mass of servants and guards. He rolled his eyes. The king always had to show off his wealth wherever he went. As he stepped closer to the carriage the rest of his family arrived and stood with him. As the door opened, they bowed in respect.

King Phillip stepped out with a dramatic sweep of his cape and also bowed. "Your highnesses, Prince, Princess." He nodded in each of their directions. When he glanced at Bra he raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly looked her up and down.

Bra curled her lip in disgust. The knight next to her stepped a little closer and she felt a little wave of relief wash over her. She knew she could trust him to protect her. He had been assigned as her personal bodyguard for the last three years. His name was Goten. At first she had hated the idea of someone following her around, but after meeting him she had quickly changed her mind. He was actually rather charming and she enjoyed him being with her.

Trunks noticed the King's eyes wondering over Bra and he squeezed his fists. That scumbag actually had the nerve to look at a Princess that way! And not just any princess, but his sister! He made a mental note to keep a closer eye on him from now on.

Suddenly a large pile of bags collapsed to the ground. On closer inspection Trunks noticed a young girl right in the middle of it. King Phillip cursed under his breath and then stormed towards the girl. He grabbed her arm and hauled her off the ground.

Trunks' breath caught in his throat. He didn't know why, but for some reason this girl seemed captivating. She was dirty and her clothes were torn, but something about her intrigued him. Something in her eyes.

King Phillip shook the girl roughly. "How dare you throw my things to the ground! I made you carry these things as punishment and now you are defying me! We will just have to come up with a new form of punishment won't we?!" He then tossed the girl back to the ground as if she were a piece of trash.

She glared up at him as he turned around and then pushed herself up. Great! She was in for it now. She hadn't meant to drop everything, she was just too tired. She hadn't had any food all day and had barely slept the night before. She sighed and began to retrieve the bags.

Trunks continued to look on as she proudly stood back up and held her head high. He admired her strength. Even in her situation she was still confident.

Phillip noticed him eyeing the girl and cleared his throat. "Ahem. I'm sorry you had to see that. She's been giving me nothing but trouble lately. Now, how about we head inside so that I may refresh myself? It's been a long day."

Trunks grimaced. Sure it had been a long day. Phillip didn't even stop to consider that his servants had walked the entire way while he'd ridden in a fancy carriage. As they all turned to go inside he pulled Charles aside. "Make sure that his servants are given good meals. I doubt they get much from him." Charles nodded as he went off to see to the arrangements.

Once they were all seated inside Phillip began to talk and talk and talk. Trunks never really listened. All he ever talked about was himself and Trunks already knew everything he needed to know about him. He pretended to listen intently by looking just past Phillip and into the hallway. As he watched he saw the servants begin carrying in the supplies and taking them upstairs to Phillip's room.

Suddenly he saw the girl from earlier carrying in the mass of bags. She couldn't even see where she was going. He watched her struggle as she tried to climb the stairs. He quickly excused himself saying he had forgotten something in his room and ran up the stairs.

When he caught up with the girl she was sitting on the stairs breathing heavily. When she noticed him she immediately paled and jumped to her feet. She grabbed at the bags quickly and began mumbling apologies. Trunks reached down and picked up a few of the bags and looked at her. She gave him a questioning look and he smiled. "Here, I'll help you with these." She began to shake her head, but he held up a finger. "I insist."

He walked quietly next to her until they reached Phillip's room. He opened the door for her and they put the bags inside. Then the girl went to the back of the room and just stood by the wall. She looked pale and worn out, but never the less, she stood tall. He looked at her puzzled. "What are you doing?"

She glanced in his direction and bowed. "Your highness, I thank you for your help, but now I must stay and await my punishment."

His stomach dropped at her statement. She said it so nonchalantly; like it was something she was used to. He stepped nearer to her and looked at her more closely. She looked as though she was probably right around Bra's age. She was well toned and had a nice figure, but she looked rather skinny. He assumed she probably wasn't fed well.

Just then the door swung open and Phillip strode in. "What are _you_ doing in here?" He glared at Trunks.

Trunks swung around and looked at Phillip innocently. "Nothing. She was struggling with the door so I helped her open it."

"Hmph. She struggles with everything." Phillip replied glaring at the girl.

Trunks thought he saw her shrink back a little, but she didn't lower her eyes like most servants would. She still held her head high. "Well, I better go see to the rest of the preparations. I hope you'll find your accommodations suitable. Do you want me to direct this girl to the servant's quarters?"

Phillip laughed. "Who this girl? No, she's staying with me. She hasn't received her punishment yet."

Trunks looked at the girl one last time and then walked out the door. He hated leaving her with that creep, but he didn't have much choice.

That night at dinner, Trunks thought things went rather smoothly considering their present company. He was bored listening to Phillip, but other than that, things went well. He was still slightly concerned with the way that Phillip kept eyeing his sister, like she was a piece of meat.

As soon as dinner was over Trunks found Bra's guard and pulled him aside. "Goten, I know you've probably noticed the way Phillip keeps eyeing Bra and I wanted to ask you to please keep an extra close watch on her while he's here."

Goten nodded. "Of course. I had planned on it from the moment that guy stepped out of the carriage."

Trunks smiled. "Thanks. I knew I could count on you." He slapped him on the back and then headed off. He didn't know why, but he felt like he should go check and make sure that Phillip's servants were alright. They should be at the dining hall right about now.

When he arrived, he was pleased to see that everyone was seated and had a full meal in front of them. They were laughing and talking with his servants. Good. He wanted them to feel like this was a place were they would be treated with kindness. As his eyes continued to scan the mass of people he picked out the girl from earlier that day. She was seated with the others, but she wasn't laughing or talking. She was just eating and staring straight down at her plate. Unknowingly his feet carried him closer to her. The closer he got, the more uneasy his stomach felt. He could tell from her posture that she was in pain. When she shifted her shoulder strap slid down and he could see the beginning of a large welt on her back.

The girl sat quietly and ate. She tried to ignore the pain coursing up and down her back. She had been punished, but that was nothing new. This wasn't the first time that Phillip had used the whip on her. She was proud of herself. She had withstood the entire whipping without letting out a sound. She wouldn't let him see her suffer! She lifted her eyes from her plate and looked to the side. She could feel someone's presence behind her. As she turned around she noticed everyone around her bowing and quickly did the same.

When she had looked up at him for that brief moment Trunks noticed a cut across her cheek as well. He realized he was making a scene now that everyone was bowing. All eyes were on him. He quickly stood straighter and nodded his head at everyone. He looked down at the girl in front of him and despite his better judgment told her to arise. She stood up slowly and everyone looked at her to see what would happen next.

She just stared at him not sure of what to think. Was she in trouble again? Had she done something wrong?

He stepped a little closer to her and spoke quietly. "I need to speak with you outside." He saw her look of shock, but she quickly covered it up and started to follow him.

When they got outside, Trunks led her to one of the garden benches nearby. He motioned for her to sit and she did; never taking her eyes off of him. He sat down next to her and then looked at her face. Something in her eyes just seemed to pull him in. She tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrows at him. He shook his head realizing that he'd been staring. "Um…well…" he stuttered trying to come up with a reason that he had wanted to talk with her. He decided to just tell her the truth. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay. You were supposed to get punished earlier and I know Phillip can be a jerk."

She just looked at him, not quite sure what to say. Why was the Prince asking about her welfare? Royalty didn't care about commoners and servants. All they cared about were themselves. So why was this guy looking at her like he really cared? "Um…yeah. I'm fine. It's no big deal. I get in trouble all the time." She started to get up, but he gently pulled her back down.

"Are you sure? I can tell by looking at you that you're in pain." Without thinking, Trunks slowly reached up and touched the cut on her cheek. She winced slightly and he quickly pulled back. Why had he touched her? What had come over him?

She gave a small smile and began to rise again. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." She started to turn away, but then turned around briefly. "But thank you for your concern, your highness." She bowed slightly and then began to walk away.

Trunks watched her go and then suddenly ran after her. When he caught up to her he gently took her arm and turned her around. "By the way, what's your name?"

She looked at the ground for just a moment and then looked back up into his eyes. "Pan."

Well, that was it for the first chapter. Please let me know what you think!

7


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here's the next chapter

A/N: I would like to say thank you to my reviewers.

SaiyanWolf-Girl

JazzyFizzler

Lovesanime92

Goodknight

You guys rock!

Here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy.

**Chapter 2**

The next morning Trunks woke up very early. The rest of the castle's inhabitants were still in their beds. He hadn't been able to sleep well because thoughts of that girl, Pan, had plagued his dreams. He didn't know why he felt drawn to her. It couldn't be that she was attractive. I mean, she was skinny and dirty. She was a servant. So what was it that made her so engaging to him? Besides, he was a Prince. He was supposed to fall in love with a Princess and get married and live happily ever after. Right?

He shook his head and decided to take a brief flight through the woods nearby. He would be back before his mother even realized he was gone. Hopefully it would help him to clear his mind. It might even help him put up with Phillip. At that last thought he just laughed. Yeah right. Nothing would help him with Phillip!

That morning when Pan woke up, she could still feel a stinging across her back. Luckily, being a Sayjian, it didn't usually take too long to heal and so far only one or two had actually left scars. She sighed. There had to be more to life than this. She wasn't meant to be a slave forever. She had hopes and dreams just like everyone else. She wanted to get married one day and have a family of her own. She frowned. At this rate she would probably die alone and before her time.

She glanced up as the door opened and one of the guards entered. "You!" He threw a basket at her. "Go into the orchard and gather some apples. The King would like some with his breakfast."

She nodded and grabbed her cloak. Great. The start of another wonderful day. She headed for the gates to the castle. She had seen the orchard on her way in. It was just outside the castle walls. The guards at the gates smiled and nodded at her as she went by. What was with this kingdom? Everyone here treated her so differently than she was used to. Back home all the guards looked down on her and everyone else that was considered a servant. They were given the very barest of necessities and treated as if they were nothing more than annoying creatures that happened to live in the same area. This kingdom was so different, but she was starting to like it.

Trunks checked to make sure that the coast was clear and jumped into the air and flew over the castle wall. As he was passing the orchard he thought he saw movement. He flew down a little lower and noticed someone picking apples. He didn't think much of it until he saw a pair of dark eyes looking back at him. It was that girl! It was Pan! She looked away quickly, but he knew it was her. He flew down and landed a few feet away from her.

"Good morning your highness." She said softly as she bowed.

He went to stand in front of her. "Good morning Pan. You know you really don't have to bow when no one else is around. I really don't like the idea of everyone bowing to me."

Her breath caught in her throat as he said her name. No one ever called her by her name back home. She was always an idiot or a fool. It sounded so nice to hear him speak her name. She stood up slowly and nodded. "Thank you your highness."

He smiled. "No problem. By the way, you can also call me Trunks when no one is around. I'd prefer it actually."

She about went into shock. She couldn't imagine what would have happened to her if she ever called King Phillip just Phillip. He'd probably have her killed or something! "Of course your high… I mean Trunks."

He could feel his heart rate quicken as she spoke his name. It sounded so good coming from her lips. "So, what brings you out this early in the morning?"

She glanced at the basket at her feet. "I was told to pick apples. King Phillip likes to have them with breakfast."

"Oh. Well, um…I was wondering if you would like to accompany me on a quick flight through the forest? Breakfast won't be served for at least another hour and you've already picked plenty of apples." He smiled at her hopefully. He wasn't sure why he was asking her, but he decided to just go with it.

She could feel her heart pounding. Did the Prince just ask her to go flying with him?! What was she suppose to say? She wanted to go very badly, but she knew she shouldn't. "I don't think I should. I could get in severe trouble."

Trunks just smiled back. "I promise it'll be okay. We'll be back before you know it."

His smile was gorgeous. How could she turn him down? She did love flying and she never got to just soar through the air anymore. "Alright, since you promised."

He led her to the edge of the orchard and then they took off. He led the way since he knew the area. She followed behind and enjoyed the feel of the air rushing against her skin. At one point he looked back to check on her and was pleasantly surprised to see a huge smile gracing her features. He smiled to himself. She had her head thrown back, her hair blowing out behind her, and that wonderful smile on her face. He could tell that she had at one point been someone who was full of life and energy. It was because of Phillip that she hid that now! It angered him to think that Phillip could do this to someone. How could someone treat other people as if they didn't matter? It just didn't make sense to him.

He spotted a lake up ahead and motioned for Pan to follow him down. They landed on the shore and then took a seat on a fallen tree nearby. Pan fidgeted nervously. She wasn't sure what to do now. She was alone in the woods with the Prince!

Trunks watched her fidget and smiled to himself. He decided to try and break the silence and make her feel more comfortable. "So, Pan, how old are you?"

Surprisingly, she looked him straight in the eyes when she answered. "I'm 17. How about you?"

He nodded. It was nice that someone would actually look him in the eyes when they spoke to him. Many people felt intimidated by his title. She was proving her strength to him yet again. "I'm 18. I guess that makes me an adult now so ever since my birthday my parents have been trying to convince me that it's time to get married. I just keep blowing them off though. I'll settle down when I'm ready and when I meet the right person. You know?"

She smiled a little. "I think it would be nice to get married one day." Then her smile faded. "I doubt I'll ever get married though."

He looked at her and gently lifted her chin. "Now why would you say that? Of course you will. I'm sure you'll find someone that's perfect."

She smiled at him shyly and he could have sworn he saw a little pink rise into her cheeks. "I'll take your word for it then. I like that scenario."

He smiled. He could tell she would be quite pretty if she got cleaned up. He would love to see her in a beautiful dress, her hair all fixed up, and have her smiling brightly just for him. Whoa! Where did that thought come from?

"Trunks, can I ask you a question?" She spoke hesitantly as she said his name.

He shook free from his thoughts and smiled at her. "Of course. Ask away."

"Um…why is everyone here so nice? I mean when I left this morning your guards all smiled at me and said good morning. Even your servants seem to be happy and friendly. I don't get it."

He frowned slightly. "What do you mean? I would hope that everyone was nice to you. If they are not just tell me and I'll deal with it. And the servants…well, I want them to be happy. I mean they are offering their services to us and in return we make sure that they are all very well taken care of."

Pan stared at the ground. "I wish it was like that back home."

An uneasy feeling started to settle in his stomach again. "What do you mean? What's it like back home?"

She looked up at him and took a deep breath. "Well, first off, no one is nice to us. We are servants and that is all. We are looked down upon. Second, none of King Phillip's servants are _offering_ their services. They are all forced into it."

He didn't know what to think. He knew Phillip was a jack ass, but this? He didn't have servants, he had slaves! "Is that how you came to be a servant as well?"

She nodded. "About five years ago he saw me in the market and had me taken back to his castle. Ever since then I've been a servant."

Trunks was in shock. No wonder all Phillip's servants were so dirty and malnourished. He didn't give a damn about them at all! He forced them all to work for nothing!

Pan suddenly stood up. "I'd better be heading back. It's almost time for breakfast to be served."

He nodded in agreement and they headed back to the orchard. As they flew, Pan relished the feel of the wind. She hadn't gotten to fly for fun in years. She remembered how much she used to love it. When she was little she was always sneaking off to go flying. She smiled to herself at the pleasant memories.

When they landed in the orchard, Pan grabbed her basket of apples and stood shyly in front of Trunks. "Thank you for the flying…and the talk. It's been a long time since I had someone to talk to."

He grinned back at her. "No problem. Maybe we'll do it again sometime."

She gave a small wave and then walked off towards the kitchens. Trunks watched her walk off and sighed. He had enjoyed spending time with her. He really did want to do it again. He wished there was something he could do to get her out of her situation. He wished he could help all of Phillip's servants. But how?

That night at dinner everyone was crowded inside. A storm had rolled in and the rain outside was coming down in torrents. The thunder was rumbling loudly throughout the castle and the occasional flash of lightning could be seen lighting even the darkest corners. While everyone else was busy eating and talking, Trunks couldn't help but think about what Pan was doing. Hopefully she was in the servant's quarters eating and staying out of this storm.

After dinner everyone retired to his or her rooms for the evening. Normally people would sit around and talk more, but the storm seemed to have made everyone tire early. As Trunks was on his way to his room he saw Phillip leaving his own room.

"Good evening Phillip." Trunks said politely.

"Good evening Trunks. I hear you've been spending some time with one of my servants. It's not proper for royalty to be associated with slaves you know."

Trunks frowned. "Maybe not, but it's also not proper to treat your servants like dirt."

Phillip raised an eyebrow. "I see my little slave has been gabbing. She does have quite the big mouth sometimes, but I know how to fix that." With that he quickly walked away.

Trunks got a bad feeling. How did Phillip know that they had spent any time together?

Just when his worry started to escalate further, Charles came running up the stairs with a frightened look on his face. "Your Highness we have a problem!"

Trunks' heart caught in his throat. He had a good idea of what was going on already. "What it is Charles?"

After taking a few gasping breaths he continued. "That girl that you've been spending time with lately is in trouble. This morning I saw you both come in from the orchard, but so did Phillip. I didn't think much of it at first, but I saw him tonight before dinner. He drug her outside and tied her to a pole in the middle of the back courtyard. Then…Then…" Charles struggled with the last part.

Trunks was impatient now and sick with worry. "What? What then?"

"Then he whipped her! He must have whipped her like ten times! She never cried out. Not even once and that made him even angrier! He left after that, but as far as I know she's been tied up out there ever since. And from the looks of it, I think Phillip was heading out there again!" Charles leaned against that wall to try and return his breathing to normal.

Trunks didn't waste any time. "Thank you Charles." With that said he took off towards the courtyard. He couldn't believe what he'd heard! He had promised Pan earlier that day that it would be fine for her to go flying with him and now look what had happened! This was his fault! He ran as fast as he could down the stairs and out into the pouring rain. It was hard to see, but that didn't matter. He knew these grounds like the back of his hand. He could see the hedges that lined the courtyard getting closer each time the lightning flashed. As he neared the edge of the courtyard he slowed down and carefully peered out. He could feel the rage boiling up inside of him at what he saw.

There was Pan strapped to the wooden post in the center. She was completely drenched from head to toe. The back of her shirt was ripped in several places and he could see the bloody welts on her back. She was staring straight ahead at something.

Trunks was about to go towards her, but just then Phillip walked up to her. He just shook his head at her and then slapped her across the face. She didn't make a sound, but looked right back up into his eyes. A small trickle of blood began to seep from her lip.

Trunks eased his way a little closer so that he would be able to hear what they said.

"Well, my dear Pan. It seems that the Prince doesn't think I take very good care of my servants. I wonder where he got that idea?"

Pan just glared back at him. There was a fire in her eyes that Trunks hadn't ever seen before. She didn't actually look scared. She looked more like she was angry.

Phillip stepped a little closer to her and rubbed a hand up her arm. "We may just have to come up with a new form of punishment for you. I've always enjoyed a spirited woman." He leaned in closer and grabbed one of her breasts harshly as he sneered into her face.

Trunks was about to jump out at them when he sensed an enormous power level. For a minute he didn't realize where it was coming from and then he turned to Pan. It was radiating from her! Phillip let go of her and backed up; his eyes wide.

Pan didn't know what was happening to her. All she knew was that she was angry. She had put up with this man long enough and she wasn't going to do it anymore. She could feel a power begin to surround her and she harnessed it. She quickly broke the ties that were holding her and stepped forward.

Phillip backed up a few more steps and then stopped. Why was he running from this girl? This servant? He stood his ground and powered up. Strangely he still felt as if her power was stronger. "What the hell is going on here? You can't defy me! I am a King!"

She could feel the power still growing within her. This man was never going to hurt her again! "How dare you! You kidnapped me from my home! You took away my freedom! You forced me into slavery! And you still think you can do whatever the hell you want to me?! Well not anymore!!" The power around her surged and the ground around her shook. Sparks began to fly all around. She took hold of the power and with all her might shot it out towards Phillip.

He screamed and tried to block it, but it was no use. The blast encircled him and after it disappeared there was nothing left. Trunks looked on in shock. How had she done that? Phillip was one of the most powerful kings! Not as powerful as he and his father were, but still powerful. He saw Pan fall to her knees and ran out to help her.

She was shaking all over and tears were streaming down her face. "What have I done? What have I done? I killed someone. I've never killed anyone before." When Trunks approached she became even more hysterical. "I didn't mean to do it! Honestly, I didn't mean it!"

Trunks knelt down and put his arms around her. "Shhh, it's okay. I know you didn't mean it. It was an accident. He just pushed you too far."

She stilled wasn't really listening to him. "Oh my god, what am I going to do? They're going to kill me! I've killed the King!"

He pulled her closer to him and rubbed her back. "It'll be fine. This is all my fault anyway. If I hadn't made you go flying with me this morning none of this would have happened."

She seemed to finally realize he was there and looked up into his eyes. "It's not your fault. I wanted to go. I knew better and I still went. I brought this on myself."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'll take care of this. Don't worry about anything. You won't be blamed. I'll figure something out."

She nodded her head briefly and then fell limp in his arms. Trunks wasn't surprised that she passed out after emitting such an amazing power. It probably took everything out of her. He picked her up gently and took her back to a private room in the castle to recuperate. He sat by her side throughout the night and tried to figure out how he was going to get her out of this mess.

Well that's it for the second chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as the first. Please let me know!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you so much for your reviews and support! I greatly appreciate it!

Thank you to my reviewers of Ch. 2:

JazzyFizzler

GoodKnight

NiceNipps

xItachis-Luverx

**Chapter 3**

The next morning when Pan woke up, she was in a strange room that she didn't recognize. She looked at the lavish draperies over the window, the ornate rugs covering the floor, and the plush bedding that surrounded her. It was all amazing. There was also a huge fire roaring in the hearth. She stepped out of the bed carefully. She felt a little weak and shaky. What was wrong with her? Suddenly all the images of last night's events came tumbling back into her head. She collapsed next to the bed and held her face in her hands. What was going to happen to her? She couldn't believe what she had done!

Just then there was a brief knock on the door and a young woman entered. She rushed over to Pan and gently helped her up and back onto the bed. "My dear child! What ever are you doing on the floor?"

Pan looked at her cautiously. Didn't this woman know what she had done? She was sure everyone knew by now. "I…um…"

The woman cut her off before she could say anymore. "Oh you poor thing. It must be because of what you saw last night. I know it sure would be bothering me. But no need to worry. The Prince said to make sure that you were taken care of and I plan to see to that! Some of the men are bringing up a tub and hot water for you to bathe in and then we'll get you some new clothes. Oh, and I almost forgot the breakfast. I'll be right back!"

Pan stared after the woman. What was she talking about? Why was she treating her so nicely? Didn't she know that she was a killer!?

The woman came back into the room with a large tray filled with eggs, bacon, ham, toast, and so much more. Pan's mouth watered. She hadn't seen such good food in years. The woman sat the tray down in front of her and then sat on the edge of the bed. Pan looked at her quizzically. "Um…is this really for me?"

The woman laughed cheerily. "But of course it is! Why else would I sit it in your lap? The Prince said to make sure you were well fed and taken care of and I plan on doin' my job."

Pan looked at her with a smile slowly starting to form on her face. She thanked the woman and then dug in. Oh, the food tasted so good!! She was going to savor every single bite.

While she ate two men came in carrying a large brass tub followed by many younger boys carrying buckets of steaming water. She couldn't wait to sit in a bath. Back home she hardly ever got to bathe and when she did it was usually in the ice cold river out back.

As soon as she was done eating the young woman helped her into the tub. As she sunk down into the water she let out a long moan. "Oh, this feels so wonderful! I must be in heaven!"

The woman smiled. "The Prince said he thought you'd enjoy it. Now let's get you good and clean so we can head to the throne room. The Prince is going to be making an announcement! No one knows what it is, but he said for everyone to be there."

Pan got a little worried. What if his announcement had to do with what she did last night? Then everyone would turn on her! Was that the plan? Was he going to treat her to a wonderful morning and then feed her to the sharks?!

After she was done bathing the woman brought out a beautiful, yet simple gown. It was a deep red with sheer flowing sleeves and gold trim around the edges. Pan gasped. "I can't wear that! It's much too nice for me."

The woman just smiled and shook her head. "Now see here. I'm doing all this under the Prince's orders so you'll just have to make do. Besides, you'll look lovely in it!"

Pan just smiled as she put the gown on. It felt wonderful on her skin. It wasn't scratchy like everything else she owned. If felt so soft and luxurious. As soon as the gown was on the woman sat her down in front of a mirror and began brushing out her hair. In just a few moments her hair was shining and hung in a single braid down her back. As she looked in the mirror she could hardly believe it. It didn't even look like her anymore! Who was this girl in the mirror? She actually looked pretty!

About an hour later, Trunks stood in the throne room waiting for everyone to file in. He had already explained the situation to his parents and they told him to handle it as he saw fit. His father said he didn't really care and his mother thought it would be good practice since one day he would be king. He had called for a meeting to be held at noon and it was a little past that now. He sat patiently as everyone crowded around him. He was about to begin the meeting when the door just to the right of him slowly creaked open. His eyes grew wide at the woman that stepped through the door. It couldn't be! Was that Pan?! She was beautiful!

As she came closer, she bowed slightly before him. "I'm sorry I'm late your highness."

He shook his head to gather his thoughts. "Um..that's fine."

She smiled up at him shyly and then walked to a corner of the room to wait. She prayed he wasn't going to announce what she had done. He'd told her he would take care of it and that she wouldn't be blamed, but she found it hard to believe a Prince would do that for someone like her.

Trunks cleared his throat and tried to shake the image of Pan out of his head. "My good people, thank you for coming to this meeting on such short notice. Most of you have already heard, but for those of you who haven't, we have had a great tragedy. Last night during the storm, King Phillip went out into the courtyard. No one knows why, but he did. While he was out there he was struck down by a bolt of lightning. Unfortunately, he did not survive. We have sent word to his family and now his younger brother, George, will be taking the throne. Those who served King Phillip are free to leave as soon as they are ready and return to their homes."

All of Phillip's servants began gathering their things and preparing to leave. They couldn't wait to return home and see their families again. They weren't going back to serve George, they were going to _their_ homes.

Pan just stared in amazement. She couldn't believe it. He really had taken care of everything! She wasn't to blame and no one, but they knew the truth. It was almost too good to be true. She watched as everyone packed up their belongings. Everyone was going home! It was so wonderful!

After everyone had cleared out of the throne room, Trunks noticed Pan still standing in the corner. He walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright? Are you feeling okay?"

She nodded and gave him a small smile. "I'm fine. Thank you. Thank you for everything."

He looked at her closely. "So are you going to be heading back to your family now?" He felt a small part of his heart breaking at the thought of her leaving.

She frowned a little and then looked up at him nervously. "Actually I was wondering if maybe I could stay here. I don't really have a home to go to. My parents were killed in an accident about a year after I was taken as a slave. I mean, I'll do whatever you want. I'll become one of your servants or…"

He held up his hand to stop her. "There's no way."

She felt her heart drop. "You mean, I can't stay here?"

He smiled brightly at her. "I mean, there's no way you're going to be one of my servants. You are more than welcome to stay, but you'll be staying as a guest. You are no longer a servant to anyone."

She grinned. "You mean it? I can really stay?"

He laughed. "Of course. In fact, I was kind of hoping you would." He looked down at the ground for a moment before continuing. "I'll have a room prepared for you immediately. I'll show around too." He gently took her arm in his and led her towards the courtyard.

Well, that's it for Ch. 3. I know it was shorter than the others, but it was a good stopping point. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please review and let me know! Thanks!!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait for this chappie. I got sort of stuck with where I was taking the story next. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. This chapter has a little Goten/Bra also.

Thanks again to my reviewers. You guys rock!

Ninjadude135

Nicenipps

Phantasom

Dutchangel1979

Em

Jazzyfizzler

Lovesanime92

**Chapter 4**

Several weeks had passed since Pan had started living in the palace. Trunks had given her a wonderful room all to herself and he was by her side as much as possible. She wasn't quite sure what to think of the Prince spending so much time with her. Was it possible that he liked her? She knew they had become friends in the past few weeks, but could there be more to it?

"Yikes!" a shrill cry emitted from Princess Bra's room. "Ewwww!"

Goten, who was stationed right outside her door came bursting in. "What is it Princess? Are you alright?"

Bra was squealing and standing on a chair in the corner of the room. "No I am not alright! There is some sort of rodent in my room!"

Just then a little mouse went racing by the chair and dashed into a small hole in the wall. Bra squealed again and rocked the chair dangerously to one side. "Ahhh!" She screamed as she tumbled off the chair.

Goten was by her side in an instant and caught her in his arms. "Are you alright?"

Bra looked flustered for a moment. "Um…yes. I'm fine thank you." She glanced up into his dark eyes and felt butterflies beginning to flutter in her stomach. She looked away quickly. "Um…you can put me down now."

Goten jolted back to reality. He'd been staring right back at her! He knew better than that. She was the Princess. He quickly sat her on her feet and took a few steps back from her and bowed. "I'm sorry Princess. I'll see that someone fixes the rodent problem for you immediately."

Bra sighed. "Thank you Goten." Now that she was standing again she missed the feel of his arms around her. She shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking like that. He was just a soldier. She smiled casually at him and then turned back to her closet where she had been organizing.

Goten bowed once more and excused himself. He couldn't believe he'd just been staring openly at the Princess. He couldn't help himself though. She was so beautiful! Even the way she had said his name was beautiful. He wished he could hear her say his name more often.

Later that day, Trunks and Pan strolled through the village together. Trunks was introducing her to some of the villagers and showing her how their kingdom was run. It was such a contrast to everything she had known. Everyone here respected and loved their King and the Prince. Everyone was taken care of. They all had homes, jobs, and food for their tables. Many of the villagers waved hello to the Prince as he walked by and he acknowledged each and every one of them. She just couldn't get over it.

Trunks noticed her smiling at him. "What? Did I do something?"

She smiled even brighter. "I just find it amazing that everyone here is so happy to see you. Back home if the King was coming by everyone dreaded it. It's so nice to see a happy village!"

He grinned back at her. "Well, that's how we like to run things here. If you want the people to respect you, you have to show them respect as well. If you want them to be loyal to you, then you have to be loyal to them. You get what you give."

She looked him in the eyes and smiled. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you again for letting me stay here. It means a lot to me."

He gently reached out and took her hand in his. "It's really no problem. To tell you the truth, I really enjoy your company. You're very different from most of the girls I've ever been around. Most of my experience with girls was with princesses. They were all selfish, greedy, and whiney. You're not like that at all."

She glanced shyly at the ground. "Um…thank you. I enjoy spending time with you as well. I thought that all members of royalty were just bred to be arrogant and self-centered. I never knew that they could be kind and caring. You've shown me just how wrong I was. You are much kinder than I ever would have expected."

Trunks grinned. "Well, while we're on this subject, I wanted to ask you a question."

She looked up at him. "Sure, what is it?"

"Well, I wanted to try and help you. I know you've been taken advantage of most of your life and you've been beaten and hurt. I don't want that to ever happen to you again. I was wondering if you would let me train you? I could show you how to defend yourself and become stronger."

Pan could see the care and worry for her safety in his eyes. They were pleading with her to say yes. She smiled and nodded. "That would be great! I've actually always wanted to learn to fight. I use to watch the warriors of my old village and I always longed to be able to do the things they did, but women were never encouraged to fight."

He looked at her questioningly. "Why weren't women encouraged? Many of the women here can fight. We look at it as a way of preserving our village's safety."

She sighed. "That was another thing put down by Phillip. He decreed that women were not to be trained. He never told anyone why, but I overheard him one day talking to his guards. The real reason was because of some legend he was told years and years ago. Apparently the legend runs in his family. They say that one day a female Say-jian will rise up to defend the people. She will bring chaos and destruction to the royal family and lead the people into a new era. That's what I heard anyway. If you ask me it's all pretty silly."

He listened intently to her story. He did remember hearing something about that from his mother years ago. He had ruled it off as some sort of crazy superstition that Phillip and his family had. He decided not to worry about it for now. He took her hand in his and led her back towards the castle. "Well, since you don't have to worry about that decree anymore, let's start your training today. I can show you some basics so that you can start practicing."

She grinned and nodded eagerly. "Let's go!"

As they headed off towards the castle hand in hand, a dark figure stood in the shadows glaring. "King George will not be pleased with this. I must tell him at once!"

Back at the castle, Trunks and Pan entered the training room. Many of the guards began looking at them oddly. What was the Prince doing here with that girl?

Trunks ignored the looks he got and led Pan to a corner of the room. He started off just showing her some kicks and punches. She already knew most of the basics from watching others so they got to move on rather quickly. Every time he showed her a new move it was almost as if she just absorbed the knowledge and immediately put it into practice. She caught on very fast. He could tell that she had strong power inside of her. He loved the spark of life that seemed to come into her eyes when she was practicing something new. It was almost as if he had awakened something inside of her that even she hadn't known existed.

After a few hours of training, they decided to call it quits for the day. She was exhausted after her first real training session, but still anxious to learn more.

"So are we going to train some more tomorrow?" She asked eagerly and with a pleading look in her eyes.

He smiled at her. How could he resist that look? "Sure. If that's what you want."

She nodded swiftly. "Yes, yes, yes!"

He laughed. "Well, I guess I'll take that as a yes then. In the meantime, we better go get cleaned up for dinner. I don't think my parents would approve of us showing up like this."

She nodded. "Alright. I'll see you in a little while." As she turned to walk away, she quickly whirled back around. "Trunks?"

He turned back to her. "Yes?"

She smiled cheerfully. "Thanks for everything today. I had a lot of fun!"

He smiled back. "No problem."

That night before dinner, Vegeta pulled his son aside. "Son, what is going on with you and that servant girl? You're spending every spare moment you have with her."

Trunks frowned at his father. "She's not a servant girl. Her name is Pan and nothing is going on. We just enjoy each other's company."

His father frowned back. "Then what's this I hear about you two holding hands and now you're training her!?"

He grimaced. "What's wrong with it? She needs to know how to defend herself! I'm trying to help her so that she doesn't get pushed around again like Phillip did to her!"

Vegeta nodded. "Very well, but what about the holding hands part? She's not a Princess you know."

Trunks groaned. "I know she's not a Princess, but that doesn't matter. She's different from all the Princesses I've met and that's what I like about her."

"Just be careful you don't like her too much. You know you've got to marry a Princess and having her around is not going to help you." His father sneered.

"I'm not interested in getting married right now and it's not your decision who I decide to marry!" With that, Trunks stormed off towards the dining hall.

Vegeta glanced at his son's retreating figure. "He's in for a shock when he gets to dinner. I didn't even get to tell him that I invited Princess Rose. This may prove to be quite an eventful night."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Sorry about the super long wait for this chapter. I finally figured out what I wanted to do next. I made a few minor changes to the first few chapters, but I don't think those will affect you if you've already read them. Thanks to my reviewers for their support.

**Chapter 5**

As soon as Trunks entered the dining hall he was ambushed by someone and heard a high pitched squeal. He covered his ears quickly and pushed the attacker away. When the ringing in his ears began to subside he looked back up at his attacker. What he saw was not at all what he expected.

"Trunks! I thought you'd be happy to see me!" a shrill voice whined.

He groaned inwardly as realization hit. "Good evening Princess Rose. I must apologize. I did not know it was you. You've grown so much since I last saw you."

Now the Princess blushed and smiled. "Well, I am 16 now. I'm almost old enough to be married." As she said the last part she raised an eyebrow in his direction.

He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "That's nice. So what brings you to our kingdom? How long are you staying?"

She walked closer to him and placed an arm on his sleeve. "Your father invited me to visit. He said you'd been positively miserable the last few weeks and needed some cheering up. So here I am!" She smiled triumphantly as if she was doing him the biggest favor.

As King Vegeta enter the dining hall, Trunks glared at him, but he just hmphed and sat down at the head of the table.

The Princess wrapped her arm around Trunks' and began to lead him towards the table to a seat right next to her. He looked longingly at the seat that he would have normally had next to Pan's. Where was Pan? She wasn't here yet.

As if on queue, Pan entered the dining hall and immediately stared right at Trunks and the Princess. He had his arm wrapped around that girl's arm! She didn't know why, but this made her very jealous!

Rose looked up at Pan and smiled slyly. "Oh servant girl, could you bring My Prince something to drink?" She slid her hand up and down Trunks' arm.

Pan just stood there as if she were frozen. The Princess tried again. "Didn't you hear me? My Prince would like a drink!" She put one hand on her hip and glared at Pan.

Trunks shrugged out of Rose's grip and looked at Pan. "Pan is not a servant here. She is a guest." Pan gave him a small smile and took her usual seat. Rose seemed to pout as she took the seat next to Trunks.

Pan didn't know how much more she could take. All through dinner that girl was touching Trunks in some form or fashion. She kept whispering things in his ear. She even kept looking over to make sure that Pan was watching! The nerve of her! Pan knew she shouldn't be jealous. This girl was a princess afterall. It didn't matter though. The feeling was still there.

After dinner Pan crossed the room to Trunks to see if he wanted to go on their usual walk through the courtyard after dinner, but Rose was still occupying his attention. The next thing she knew Rose had grabbed his arm and pulled him out towards the courtyard! She couldn't believe it! This girl had just gotten there and already she had taken Trunks away from her!

She went to her room and lay flat on the bed. She watched as the fire cast strange shadows across the ceiling. Why did she feel so jealous? It wasn't like Trunks was hers or anything. I mean, he's suppose to be with a Princess, so this is just natural. The thought didn't comfort her at all. She wanted to be with the Prince. She wanted him to look at her with his crystal blue eyes. She wanted him to walk with her in the courtyard. She wanted him to be hers! Her eyes widened at that last thought. What am I thinking? I'm a nobody! He's a Prince! It will never happen! We're not meant to be.

The next day when Pan came down to the main hall for breakfast, she was discouraged to see Rose seated next to Trunks already. Pan bowed politely to everyone and then took a seat across from Trunks. He smiled at her warmly and she smiled back. This didn't go unnoticed by Rose. She put on a pouty face and leaned against Trunks' arm. "Trunks," she whined. "Will you spend the day with me? I have so much to tell you and I want to hear about everything that you've been doing." She smiled innocently up at him and batted her eyelashes. Pan rolled her eyes. This girl was trying way too hard.

Trunks edged a little further away from her and tried to untangle his arm from hers. "Well, um….I don't know if I can. My father might need me to help with some matters of the kingdom today."

Vegeta glanced at him. "No I don't! I can handle everything on my own. You two have fun." He gave Trunks a sly smile.

Trunks groaned inwardly. Just what he wanted. A whole day with this whiney little twit. He saw Pan slump down into her chair. She tried to give him a smile when she realized he was looking, but he knew it was fake. He smiled back as best he could. He would have much rather spent the day with Pan.

As soon as the meal was over Rose drug Trunks away and Pan was left to fend for herself. King Vegeta came to her side and she felt a prickle of fear go up her spine. "I know you've got some thing for my son, but you might as well go ahead and forget about it. He is a Prince and therefore he must marry a Princess. What you've had is just a passing fling and now it's gone. Have I made myself clear?"

Pan swallowed hard and nodded. As the King walked away she could feel tears in her eyes. She knew all of those things to be true, but still her heart had dared to hope. What was she suppose to do? She didn't have anywhere to go and the King made it painfully clear that he no longer wanted her here. She sighed and got up. Maybe a walk through the village would help her to clear her mind.

Later in the day as Trunks showed Rose the village he longed to be with Pan. She was so much more fun to be around. She listened when he spoke and she really cared about what he was saying. He barely got in two words with Rose. She was constantly chattering away. He didn't even really know what she was talking about because he was so lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly Rose came to a halt and Trunks looked up. "Isn't that the girl who was at dinner and breakfast with us? Rose asked with a smirk. "At least she's finally realized where she belongs."

Trunks couldn't believe his eyes. There was Pan almost waist deep in mud trying to help an elderly farmer get his cow out of the muck. She was trying to pry a large oak branch underneath the cow for leverage to hoist it out. The old farmer was trying to coax the cow out with some hay and grass. Trunks walked right over there and looked down at Pan. "What on earth do you think you're doing?"

Pan gasped when she looked up to find Trunks looking puzzled at her. She could see Rose in the background snickering. She blushed, but no one could tell with the mud on her cheeks. "I was trying to help this man out. He says his cow has been stuck in here since this morning. It's the only one he's got and he can't lose it." She gave Trunks a look that begged him to understand. She knew what it was like to be one of the commoners in the village. She grinned at him sheepishly and for some reason he caved. He didn't know why, but that look she gave him just melted his heart. She was covered in mud, but still looked adorable and so sweet and innocent. He pulled off his cloak, pushed up his sleeves, and climbed in with her. She stared in awe at him as the mud covered up his elegant clothing. Of all the things she had expected him to do, this was not one of them.

Rose shrieked from behind them. "Oh, I can't believe you just did that! Now you look just like some poor peasant! Oh, I can't take this." She threw a hand dramatically to her head and then turned and ran back towards the castle.

Trunks grinned from ear to ear. "Well, if I'd known it would be that easy to get rid of her I would have jumped in the mud earlier."

Pan smiled back at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't expect anyone to find out. I borrowed a dress from the lady next door so that I wouldn't ruin the one you'd given me. I figured once I changed back no one would be the wiser."

"Don't worry about it. I just couldn't believe it was you. What on earth made you jump into the mud yourself? You could have just as easily gotten one of the guards to come help."

She stared at him. "Really? They would help with something trivial like that?"

He nodded. "Of course. We take care of our people."

She groaned. "Oh, I've messed up again. I'm still not used to a King, or a Prince for that matter, looking after his people so well. Back home the farmers were on their own. I know how much a single cow can mean and I just had to help him. I'm sorry."

Trunks smiled again. "No need to worry. We'll help get this cow out and then we'll go change. But from now on, you know you can always get help, right?"

She nodded eagerly as she began pressing down on the branch again. Within a few moments they had the cow out and a very grateful farmer begging them to let him pay them somehow. "Please your highness. You can have whatever you like."

Trunks just shook his head kindly. "No thank you sir. It was no problem. I was glad to be able to help."

The man still insisted. "At least let me give you a clean pair of clothes. They'll be nothing compared to the finery you're used to wearing, but they'll be clean."

Trunks looked down and examined himself. "Well, I guess a change of clothes wouldn't be so bad."

The little old farmer clapped his hands. "Of course, of course. Right this way. My wife will wash your other clothes for you as well. They'll be good as new in no time." He led both Pan and Trunks into his house. Pan went to change back into her original dress while Trunks changed into a loose shirt and trousers. When he came out, Pan tried to stifle a giggle. The old man was apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry they don't quite fit my lord, but it's all I've got. You'll only have to wear them while my wife washes the others."

Trunks grimace slightly as he sat down next to Pan. The trousers were no where near long enough and the shirt sleeves came only to his elbows. Pan stifled another giggle and then cleared her throat. "It's not so bad. At least you don't have to wear them back to the castle," she smiled hopefully.

He nodded. "True, but I doubt I can move very much in these without ripping them in two.

She giggled again. "Well that would certainly be a sight."

He smiled back at her. "That it would. So, what do we do now?"

She glanced around for a few moments and then turned back to face him. "Well, I was thinking of going out back to sit by the stream. Would you like to come with me?"

"Sure. That sounds relaxing."

After sitting by the water in silence for a few moments, Pan was almost startled when Trunks spoke up. "Pan, did you really just get taken out of the market and turned into a slave? I mean, didn't your parents come looking for you?"

She looked at the slowly flowing water and bit on her lower lip. "Well, they did actually. As soon as I went missing I heard that they were searching the whole town for me. They had said that they would not rest until their daughter was back safely." She stopped and looked down.

Trunks scooted closer to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "So what happened?"

She looked up at him sadly. "They were killed in a carriage accident. I didn't even find out until two weeks after the funeral. I was infuriated that no one had told me. I remember feeling like something inside me had just snapped. I tried to run from the castle to at least go visit their graves, but the guards wouldn't let me pass. Everyone was trying to stop me. There were at least five men holding on to me, but I didn't care. I was so upset and so angry that if felt like nothing. I pushed them all away and kept running, but before I could escape the castle I ran into King Philip. I remember trying to fight him, but he was stronger than me. He knocked me to the ground and held me down. That's….the last thing I remember. When I woke up I was in the dungeon chained to a wall. They held me there for a week. They told me it was to keep me from hurting myself, but I knew it was really just because I wasn't allowed to leave. Ever."

Trunks looked at her as the tears ran freely down her face. He reached out and wiped a tear away with his thumb and then pulled her against him. She buried her head in his chest and wept as he rubbed her back and stroked her hair.

Later, as the sun began to set over the horizon, Pan finally pulled away from him and looked up. She smiled shyly. "I'm sorry about that. You're the first person I've really told that to."

He looked down at her with loving eyes and stroked her cheek. "It's alright. I'm just glad you got it out. That's probably been building up inside of you all these years." He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "Thank you for telling me."

She smiled at him as he leaned in closer to her. She couldn't control how her body moved towards him as well. He lifted his hand to softly stroke the side of her face and pulled her into a gentle kiss. It lasted only moment, but it left them both breathless. She had never felt something so wonderful in her entire life. It was so full of kindness, compassion, and…love? She couldn't be sure about the last part, but she knew that this was what people said came once in a lifetime. She felt a connection to him.

Trunks tried to slow his racing heart. What had happened? He had kissed girls before, but never had it felt anything like this. When he kissed her, it was almost as if he could feel exactly what she was feeling. He felt this intense sense of possessiveness. She belonged to him and no other. This was where she was meant to be. Right here, with him. He could feel it inside him. An undeniable sense of belonging.

Just as they were both about to speak, the old farmer came wobbling around the corner of the house. "Well, it looks like your clothes aren't quite perfect Your Highness, but my wife's done the best she can."

Trunks pulled his eyes away from Pan's and looked towards the farmer. "Don't worry about. I'm sure it's fine. You've been most kind sir."

The man bowed briefly and set off back towards the house. Trunks glanced back at Pan and she looked as if she was almost frozen in place. He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Shall we take our leave?"

She shook her head quickly to gather her thoughts and then took his hand. He pulled her from the ground and then continued to hold her hand as they walked back.

When they arrived back at the castle, King Vegeta was there to meet them at the door. "Where have you been!?" He glanced down at their entwined hands. "And what are you doing?"

They released hands quickly and fidgeted nervously.

Vegeta began again. "What is this I hear about you two jumping into the mud with cows!?"

Trunks glanced up at his father. "I suppose you heard that from Rose."

His father nodded. "She came back shrieking at the top of her lungs about how the little servant had made the Prince jump into the mud with her and the cows. I didn't believe her at first, but now that I look at you, I fear she may have been telling the truth!"

Pan hung her head. "I'm very sorry Your Highness. It was my fault…"

"Well of course it was!" Vegeta roared. "My son would never do such a thing on his own! Ever since you came here he's been neglecting his rightful duties. You're probably no more than a gold digger! Some money hungry whore!"

"Father!" Trunks yelled as he stepped in front of Pan. "That is enough! You will not speak to her in such a manner. She is nothing like that. If you'd just give her a chance you would see that. Rose is only jealous because I wasn't spending time with her. She got all upset and made the story sound worse."

Before Trunks could continue Pan pushed out from behind him and ran towards her room. He started to go after her, but was stopped by his father's arm. "You should let her go. She's only bringing you down."

His eyes narrowed and he lowered his voice so that only his father would hear. "She's a better person than you'll ever be. If you knew everything she's been through just to get here…" he shook his head. "You just won't accept someone that's different. She may not have been born to royalty, but she damn well should have been!" With that, Trunks stormed off and left his farther glaring at his back.


End file.
